The representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told NTV channel that the operation deployed by Moscow on Thursday “is not the beginning of a war, it is the prevention of a catastrophic scenario for the development of that war.”

She stressed that during that time, Russia has been making all kinds of political and diplomatic efforts to stop the conflict.

The Russian official denounced that a bloody war with civilian casualties has been waged in Donbass for eight years.

Zakharova clarified that, nevertheless, Moscow has not left the negotiation table with the West, and it hopes that the talks continue.

Early Thursday, Russia launched a military operation in the Ukrainian autonomous region of Donbass, after the authorities of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) requested help to repel Kiev’s aggression.

On February 21, Moscow recognized the independence of both territories and signed treaties of friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance with the heads of the DNR and LNR, which included establishing diplomatic relations and military aid.

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